(See also: Is the Russell Tribunal Objective?)
The first Russell Tribunal was founded in 1966 by British philosopher Bertrand Russell and French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. Seeking to publicize alleged American violations of human rights in Vietnam, Bertrand Russell sought to create a “people’s court,” similar in style to the post-World War Two Nuremberg trials. Since it had not “been given a mandate by anyone,” according to Sartre, the Russell Tribunal was controversial from the outset.
With no judicial basis, the Russell Tribunal used a legal facade to create an image of neutrality and credibility. The sessions had “jurors” examining expert “witnesses,” and the “findings” were then published. Future Russell Tribunals continued this practice.
Due to the reputation of Bertrand Russell, Sartre, and other participants, the event was highly publicized in Europe and to a much lesser degree in America. However, 45 years after the original, the influence and memory of the Tribunal has been minimal.
Outside of the immediate circle of anti-war activists, the Tribunal was highly criticized. Tribunal “juror” Carl Ogelsby summed up the criticism by stating that the tribunal would impress outsiders as “a stretched out and fancified party rally.” Even Richard Falk – an outspoken critic of Israel and currently a Russell Tribunal on Palestine (RToP) patron – called the tribunal a “juridicial farce.” David Horowitz, who worked at the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, concluded that the tribunals had humiliated and isolated Bertrand Russell.
After Bertrand Russell died, the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation launched new tribunals on such topics as: human rights violations in Latin America (1973); allegations of human rights violations in the Federal German Republic (1978); the rights of indigenous people (1980); abuse of rights in psychiatric treatment (2001); and the Second Iraq War (2006 – part of the World Tribunal on Iraq).
The Russell Tribunal on Palestine
The Russell Tribunal on Palestine (RToP) was created on March 2009. Since its inception it has held two sessions – in Barcelona and London – with the third session scheduled to be held in Cape Town on November 5-6, 2011.
The first session in Barcelona (March 1-3, 2010) considered “complicities and omissions of the European Union and its member states in the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel and the perpetuation of the violations of international law committed by Israel, in total impunity.”
The second session in London (Nov 20-22, 2010) – “examined International corporate complicity in Israel’s Violations of International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law, and War Crimes.”
The third session will consider whether “whether Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people fits the international legal definitions of the crime of apartheid.”
As the information on this website demonstrates, Israel’s guilt has been predetermined. Past sessions of the RToP have already demonized Israel by falsely accusing it of “Apartheid,” “collective punishment,” and ”war crimes.” Additionally the RToP has promoted the BDS movement The “jurors” for the Cape Town session all have well documented anti-Israel agendas, and most of them have already identified Israel as an “apartheid state”.
For further information on the RToP, see:
Is the RToP Objective?List of “Jurors”
Exploiting Apartheid
